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The dance school specializes in the teaching of Bharata Natya. For many of the students who have attained a high level of proficiency, the dance activity is pursued as an artistic endeavor and they are encouraged to strive for excellence. The basic training in Indian dance is supplemented by special activities that expose the students to its cultural background. Themes are selected on a regular basis and the students are given projects that involve further study of the chosen topics. Throughout the training programme, a pedagogical approach is followed with practical and written tests to monitor progress. During the summer and winter breaks, special intensive courses are offered. The students of the school feel a sense of belonging as they share a tradition and partake in its manifold activities.
The students are divided into different groups according to their levels of training. The groups are named using Bharata Natya terminolgy and are: KinKini (under 7 years), Adi (beginners), Mukula (junior), Padmakosha (intermediate), Alapadma (senior) and Nrityanjali (graduates) as well as Anjali (adult beginners). At Kala Bharati dance school, regular and serious Bharata Natya training starts at the age of 7 with the Adi classes; younger students who are in KinKini are given pre-Bharata Natya lessons that involve story-telling and dance activities with rhythm-based movements.
The Bharata Natya Training is carried out under the direction of Mamata Niyogi-Nakra with Jaya Srivastava and Saravanan Sundararajan as senior teachers. Jaya has trained at Kala Bharati and been with the dance school since its inception in 1980 and Saravanan joined the school as a student in 1985. Both have given several performances as active members of la Troupe and been part of the Fenetre sur le Monde team. Two other teachers, Renu Chitra and Alexandra Van Veeren have both completed their training for Ranga Pravesh, scheduled to be given shortly. They have also participated in La Troupe Kala Bharati performances as well as the Fenetre sur le monde project over the years.
The Bharata Natya technique at Kala Bharati strictly follows the tradition of the Pandanallur style.
